1. Prologue: Jacob Black

I had been running for a long time, weeks I believe, but I could be mistaking. Though, it seemed no matter how far I ran I couldn’t out run their thoughts. All of them had phased trying to talk me out of leaving, trying to keep me in La Push. They were going to be with me until I phased back, but that wasn’t going to happen. There was no way.

Jake, Jake can you hear me?

I snorted, it had been so quiet, and I was enjoying the peace. The thought belonged to Seth, one of our younger members; he had been trying to get me to come home more fervently than the rest of our pack.

I’m not going back to La Push.

I made it short and sweet, I’m sure he could see the greenery passing by, just as I could see everything around him as he thought carefully, picking and choosing the right things to say.

Edward asked me to have you come back, Bella wants you at the wedding.

Another snort, like I was going to go back home to watch my best friend, the love of my life, marry that bloodsucker. Marry the person who was going to take away her life, and take her away from me—for good.

Hell no.

I’m sure that thought was loud and clear. Apparently, Seth had become great friends with Edward and the other Cullens. How he could possibly stand their stench was beyond me, but I wasn’t going to think about that, or them.

Or her.

She was the reason I was running anyway. She had chosen her life, and there was nothing I could do to sway her, and I knew that now.

She loved me, but she loved him more.

I had forced myself to try and imprint on her, but I couldn’t. No matter how many times I tried, no matter the different ways I looked at her. It didn’t happen.

Would it ever happen for me?

Probably not, because I planned to spend the rest of this life in my wolf form, I never wanted to phase back. It was less painful this way, I didn’t have to bear the thought that I had been rejected by the one girl I have ever loved.

Ugh, the thought made me want to puke.

It’s not easy for her either, Jake.

Seth was still there. I growled at his words. I knew she was hurting, but she had Edward, she loved him more than she could ever love me. She was going to give her life to him, so she could be with him forever.

Leave it alone, Seth. Phase back and go home…

I could hear him growl lowly. I let out a sound that sounded amused, and he growled again before his thoughts completely disappeared.

Nothing he could say or do could change my mind about this. I wasn’t going back to La Push or even Washington for that matter. I would run as far away as possible.

An image of Bella flashed in front of my eyes, causing me to break my stride. I stood silently for a minute and it hit me again. It was clearer this time.

I could make out every line of her pale skin; she was wearing an extravagant white gown that looked like it was over a hundred years old. She looked beyond beautiful, the most beautiful I’ve ever seen her.

The look on her face was what dragged me back to reality. She looked somber, almost lifeless. I could see the full picture now; she was in her wedding dress.

She was actually sad on her wedding day, is that possible? I shook my head and wondered how that picture got there. I looked around and didn’t smell anything, or see anything out of the normal.

She’ll be miserable if you don’t show up.

Seth.

That was my answer. He had put that picture so vividly in my head, though I was sure he had phased back, but I’m assuming he didn’t. He was getting sneaky.

I couldn’t help but think about what I saw. Could I really mean that much to her? Enough to where Edward would actually seek Seth’s help to get me to come back?